The Future of Music Education? BRIGHT!

"Walking to the Sky" by Jonathan Borofsky 
Nasher Sculpture Garden
Dallas, TX

-Never before in history have we had such a wealth of information available at our fingertips.

Amongst all the doom and gloom there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of music education...if you know where to look.  Here's why we think so.

Technology and Information Delivery

What an exciting time we live in!  I choose the news I want to read before even getting out of bed in the morning.  My HTC phone has the web and my bookmarked sports pages are a simple click away.  And it's usually just moments after the alarm clock goes off.

Never before in history have we had such a wealth of information available at our fingertips.  Some estimates say that Google has indexed over a trillion web pages and receives several hundred million queries each day through its various services. This is how people are accessing their information and with the increase in popularity of hand-held devices, they are getting it when and where they want.  The internet is ideal for relaying information and both teaching and learning music is perfectly suited for this medium.

-Future music educators are going to question the norm and

we'll be a stronger profession for it.

The Feisty Spirit and Creativity of Future Teachers

Our future teachers are products of a connected community.  They expect their favorite restaurants, apparel lines, or yogurt shops to have websites and facebook pages. They want to know what the latest developments are and they want to feel in some way 'familiar' with their chosen brands. Likewise, these folks are not going to settle for 'business as usual'  in their vocations; whether it be music education or micro-economics, all disciplines are changing right under our feet. 

When I was at the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music, I had a chance to see Bruce Springsteen, 6th row - Hartford Civic Center, (not admitting the year!).  Let me tell you, this is like hitting the lottery for a kid from south Jersey. However, the concert conflicted with a 'mandatory' saxophone quartet recital scheduled for the same evening.  

To me this was a no-brainer; play the concert like a good student, not letting down the other members of the quartet , or skip out and have a once in a lifetime chance to get this close to Bruce and the Big Man.  No problem, Bruce played for 4 and half hours including the solo to Badlands on the chair in front of us, and Clarence was spot-on during his solo on Jungleland.  I still have no idea how the saxophone trio fared that evening. 

The point is, I, like many college students, have no fear of breaking or at least questioning rules and norms that we deem to be suspect. Right or wrong, this spirit is inherent in all of us and it's most likely not going away. I have faith that future music educators are going to question the norm and we'll be a stronger profession for it.

-It's up to us to produce quality materials that meet the growing demand 

and expectations of learners everywhere.

Expectations of Learners

Where do you go to find a new place to eat in your area? Where do you find out how to make a meal with what's leftover in the fridge, or get help with a minor medical issue? The web? Me too, I love me some Google. 

Music learners (and by that I mean ALL music makers, not just 12 to 18 year-olds) are increasingly turning to the web for help. They're using YouTube and sites like Discover, Learn and Play  to get the information they want and accessing it on their terms. Traditional methods of teaching and learning are being questioned and we're finding that there is indeed more than one way to 'skin a cat'. It's up to us as a profession to embrace new methods and produce quality materials to meet the growing demand and expectations of learners everywhere.

-people of all ages and talent levels are discovering the fun 

and proven benefits of playing music.

The Market for our Product
Have you seen the stats regarding music industry revenue lately? These numbers reflect sales from record labels, music publishers, recording artists, performing artists, composers, concert venues and merchandise companies; includes revenues from sales of physical recordings, digital music services (online and mobile), music publishing and live music. Here they are:

2006 ($60.7 billion), 2007 ($61.5 billion), 2008 ($62.6 billion), 2009 ($65.0 billion), 2010 ($66.4 billion), 2011 ($67.6 billion)

That's a whole lot of interest in what we do boys and girls! This years NAMM show had the largest turn out in its103 year history and prompted this from Joe Lamond, president and CEO:  "I believe that we are now on a path of recovery and future growth as more people of all ages and talent levels discover the fun and proven benefits of playing music."

Yes, the future is bright. And we look forward to getting there!

Using Music as Therapy - A Growing Trend

The prescription (pictured) is real and was written for DSM/MusickEd student Toni Vogel. You might remember Toni from our May 2010 blog Music Plays a Role in MS Patients' Recovery.  She has become an ambassador of sorts for the power of music, for what it has done in her life, and how it has affected those around her. "The sphere of influence is huge" she says, "my immediate family members have noticed a change, but so have friends, members of my support group, and most importantly, my doctors."

This prescription represents a big step toward bringing awareness of music therapy options to doctors, patients, and organizations like the MS Society and their support groups. Toni hopes that she can pave the way for other MS patients interested in using music to better their condition, and we're  thinking she will be quite successful.

Music as therapy is a growing field that according to the American Music Therapy Association is "the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship..."

Friend of MusickEd Kimberly S. Moore (aka the Music Therapy Maven) tells me that music therapy "is typically divided into 4 'types' of music experiences: performing, composing, improvising, and listening with learning being a part of performing. In simpler terms: playing, writing, improvising, and listening."

-we all know that music holds special powers...

Music therapies can be designed to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication, and promote physical rehabilitation. Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in a wide variety of health-care and educational settings. Check out this video from our friend Rachel Rambach a certified music therapist on how she uses music as therapy in her home studio.  Her original songs have helped autistic children more easily communicate, both in and out of the studio.

We've experienced first-hand the power of music via lessons on campus at DSM and again with Kore Series users online.  In the past 20 years we have seen music and music education; play a vital role in the recovery process from traumatic injuries, used in the maintenance of debilitating diseases such as MS, and even prescribed to help ease the effects of asthma.

Interestingly enough, many of our "healthy" students admit that time spent 'musicking' is the highlight of their week and a welcome reprieve from life's daily challenges. But we're preaching to the choir I'm sure - we all know that music holds special powers, that's why we're here!

Send Us Your Video!

As we continue to record and publish professional musicians performing our songs this year, we'll also be accepting and adding user submitted videos into our Step 3 Song pages.

"Videos can be useful and certainly play a part in the learning process" said Bob Lawrence, president of MusickEd.com, "but they are not the 'be-all and end-all' component.  There has to be a healthy balance in the learning process whereby material and information is understood conceptually before it can be applied to your chosen instrument".

We hope you'll share your videos with us and other users, teachers, and learners from around the world.  


CLICK HERE to submit your video.  Keep in mind the following items:

1. Video you or someone you know performing one of the 9 songs from any Kore Series lesson. There's no need for excess production or perfection - just smile and enjoy your playing.

2. You may play along with the melody only, melody and background , or background only tracks. You may even perform solo with no background.

3. Be sure to include the name, location, and age of the performer so we can give accurate credit!

4. MusickEd retains all rights and privileges to said recordings.

5. Videos may (or may not) appear on our site or any site within our community (i.e. our blog, facebook, or twitter pages).

"There has to be a healthy balance in the learning process whereby material and information is understood conceptually before it can be applied to your chosen instrument"

Here are two user videos that were recorded on campus at the Dallas School of Music with a simple 'flip' camera.  The 1st is Tanya S. who proves that having fun and enjoying the process is the main goal!





And here's Jack P. He's an electric guitarist who is actually reading music! Wow, what a concept!





Look for these and other user videos to start popping up soon!.  And come one - be brave - share your stuff with other users from around the world! CLICK HERE to submit your video. 

Finding Inspiration Part 2: Between the Folds

We're continuing the "finding inspiration in unusual places" theme by bringing to your attention an amazing documentary about (of all things) origami, called Between the Folds.  I've seen this program twice before and remember being overwhelmed with inspiration.  Interestingly, I was not in a hurry to try origami, but rather, I was inspired to be better at explaining my ideas about my work in music and in particular, teaching music. 

In the same way that a few great movies suck me in, (The Godfather, Napoleon Dynamite, and Annie Hall to name a few) if I happen to catch just a few moments of any scene, I am then completely rapt and usually there for the remainder.  Such was the case last night with this amazing Independent Lens piece on PBS. I decided to make a few notes while I watched and wondered why I found it so engaging, inspirational, and addicting.  Here are some thoughts:

First,  each person who spoke about origami spoke passionately.  There are origami "artisans" of course, but there are also doctors, teachers, and "folders" of all sorts who relate their passion for the art so eloquently that it makes even the casual observer take interest.

Next, each interviewee was able to explain very complex ideas in relatively easy to understand soundbites. This really struck home with me as I remembered that our mantra during the creation of the Kore Series was, "if you can't articulate a musical concept in a few sentences, then you don't know it well enough". 

If you're making mistakes, you are actually in the process of learning.

It was also surprising to learn that folding failures were often saved or filed both literally and in memory banks as building blocks for future successes. I promised myself that I would share that information with more students.  If you're making mistakes, you are actually in the process of learning.

Lastly, almost every folder said it was the process of making or doing that is important.  It reminded me of musicologist Christopher Small's philosophy of musicking - that music is a verb, it is the act of doing and making music that is important. 

So if you're ready for a visual feast and a ream of inspiration - make it a point to see this film.  I promise you will not be disappointed! Check out the trailer below.
 

Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places

One never knows where or when inspiration will strike and when it does it's sometimes difficult to sustain or duplicate.  But if you keep your eyes, ears, mind, and heart open as you slog through every day life, you may just find inspiration in the most unusual of places.

I am a musician and teacher, not necessarily a 'sports guy' (though the woman in my life might argue that point). For years I was an avid talk-radio listener but I found myself so anxious and uneasy during one contentious election cycle that I simply turned the dial.  By chance I stopped at sports radio 1310 The Ticket in Dallas, TX

The shtick and stats were just the kind of mindless drivel my topsy-turvy stomach needed and I welcomed the break.  But what got me 'hooked' on the Ticket was the fervor that almost all of the hosts displayed about a wide array of topics, not just sports.  In particular, the passionate musings of one Norman "Norm"  Hitzges continue to be both entertaining and inspiring upon every listen.

Norm is known for his unbridled enthusiasm, knowledge of sports, sports trivia, and all the minutia that drives most non-sports fans (or girl-friends) completely crazy. But listen for more than a few minutes and you'll learn that Norm has many interests and can speak knowledgeably about a wide array of topics. 

Norm loves to travel and often shares stories about the exotic locales, interesting vistas, harrowing outings, and wonderful food he has experienced as a veteran globe-trotter.  His bio page at the Ticket website includes an amazing slide show with pictures of some of the incredible places he has visited. It's worth a look.  The tales he tells of his travels are expressed so eloquently that he might easily earn a spot on any National Geographic special.

His interviews, though mostly sports related, are often sprinkled with cultural topics and he is equally adept at discussing baseball as he is breeds of dogs, fine wine, art, the Guinness Book of World Records, and even music. He is an amazing linguist and has a terrific vocabulary. His colleagues have deemed him the 'poet laureate of Valley Ranch' for the weekly verse he writes about the woes of yet another failed Dallas Cowboy season.  One of my favorite 'Norm-bits' is his recap of interesting and unusual names of players coming through the annual NFL Draft - it's pure genius.

What I find most inspiring about Norm is that he has seemingly reached a level of symbioses between his personal life and his professional career.  He has been a long-time supporter of the Texans Can! Academy, an organization that provides at-risk youths with education and training. And each year he hosts the 'Norm-A-Thon' that raises funds to support the Austin Street Centre for the homeless.  It's an incredible 18 hour marathon broadcast filled with a wide variety of topics, interviews, and of course, 'shtick'.  In my humble opinion, for entertainment purposes alone, it frankly puts the Jerry Lewis telethon to shame. 

I've never met Mr. Hitzges, but if I ever get the chance, I will be sure to tell him that his daily example is like inspirational fuel for me.  I can only hope to achieve the same level of expertise, comfort, and humility in my life and chosen profession.

Thanks for showing us that it can be done Norm, and keep up the great work!

Norm Hitzges is also an author and member of the Radio Hall of Fame. He writes a sports blog and can be heard weekdays on the Ticket from 10 AM to Noon.